The Psychology of the Stock Market … and Apple

Several pieces point to the role that sentiment plays in determining stock prices. And what about using closed-end funds that get extra yield?

Contrarian investors are inclined to back away from stocks when common investor sentiment gets too bullish and buy them with two hands when the masses are raising the white flag of capitulation.

So where on the sentiment scale is the stock market, given its Dow record-breaking run? And what's the investment mood about Apple (ticker: AAPL), which has fallen 40% off of its all-time high reached last September?